A roll on which fabric or like material is wound is defined as a core. The cores currently in use are of conventional construction, have a relatively short life and are considered expendable, non-returnable dunnage and are usually discarded after each use. As a result, new cores have to be furnished for replacement and subsequent shipment. However, it is difficult and increasingly expensive to dispose of used cores in an environmentally acceptable manner because of their considerable bulk.
The cores of the present invention, on the other hand, are capable of being used again and again, substantially reducing the cost of replacement and minimizing the problem of disposal. The cores are specially constructed so that when combined with specially designed end caps and wound with fabric and bound together in bundles or modules for shipment, they will interfit securely and without shifting. The cores and end caps are preferably composed of separable parts so that after the fabric or like material has been removed by the intended receiver, these components can be separated and combined into a compact package for return to the original shipper.
It is an object of this invention to provide specially designed cores for fabric and like material, to provide specially designed end caps for the cores, to provide rolls, as defined, composed of a core and an end cap at each end of the core, and to provide modules, as defined, composed of two or more rolls, all having the foregoing advantages. Other objects, features and advantages will become apparent as the following description proceeds, especially when considered with the accompanying drawings.